On Wednesday the 12th/25th of September 2013, the Acting Military Commander of Israel’s Civil Administration, Mr Raed Mansour, accompanied by the former Military Commander of Bethlehem, Mr Iyad Sirhan and the Director of the Department of Christian Affairs of Israel’s Ministry of Religious Services, Mr Sesar Margie, visited His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem.

In the framework of this visit, His Beatitude informed the Acting Commander on the entry permits to Jerusalem issued by the Military Administration for members of our congregation inhabiting the occupied areas, and asked that these be increased for the better arrangement of matters concerning our congregation, on which the Acting Military Commander pledged to respond accordingly.

Subsequently, the new Acting Military Commander and his attendants, guided by the Elder Secretary-General Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, visited the Church of the Resurrection.